Blood streaked her shirt; her breathing was ragged. A grimace of pain flickered every time she shifted her weight, likely a hairline fracture in the forearm from a blocked kick, and deep contusions along the flank.
"You're really full of surprises," the voice spat through clenched teeth, fury and awe mixed. "I didn't expect you to surpass your previous level sp fast." "He" tried to rise in power, to push past whatever limit was holding "him", but nothing happened. The surge stalled.
"No," "he" snarled, stunned. "No, what do you mean I don't have—" The sentence cut off as his strength faltered.
"Run out of juice?" Arthur asked flatly, reading the abnormality like a book. "Because I'm just getting started." He moved again, economy of motion, a low hooking sweep, a precise palm strike to destabilize.
